I am sorry about last weeks column. As I was trying to send it out, I lost my internet connection and was not able to get the report out to everybody.

Steelhead fishing has been picking up some. I have been getting reports of two to four adults per trip for drift boaters and one to three adults per bank fishers. There have been a few adults up to 7-8lbs but no ½-pounders. I have not run into very many bank fishers, just a couple up river and one in Salyer with one down in Tish Tang. The weather has turned cold with this morning at 29 degrees. The weatherman on TV says it should start to rain by Wednesday (the 28th). The river is dropping right now but if it rains the river should start to rise again.

We are now a month into the new year and hopefully will see a Salmon fishing season. We will find out come March when the Pacific Fishing Management Council (PFMC) will meet and determine if there are enough Salmon in the ocean for a surplus large enough to meet the In-River Natural Escapement to have a Salmon fishing season. If so, then Ocean Salmon fishing season will open for Ocean Commercial Salmon fishing and Ocean Sport Salmon Fishing. In-River Sport Salmon Fishing will be determined by how many Salmon will make the Natural Escapement in the Klamath River Bason. Also, the PFMC will make a determination for the Sacramento River Winter Run Salmon. If there are enough Winter Run Salmon for the Escapement and also have a Salmon fishing season. So, we now have to wait for the PFMC to review the last couple of Salmon returns to see if there will be enough Salmon to make the Natural Escapement goals and In River Sport Salmon Fishing. Believe me this is quite a process as it usually takes a week for this to happen.

With the Trinity River Fish Hatchery disaster it will be hard to determine what will happen for a fish return in the next couple of years for returns on the Trinity River. The problem being the Trinity River is a tributary of the Klamath River. The good part is that the Dam removals have increased spawning in the Upper Klamath. Hopefully this will balance out the Natural Escapement program and help meet the escapement goals for the Klamath River Basin.

The recent storms have helped the rivers in that no extra water releases have been required, thus allowing more water to be stored in the reservoirs. This will help later in the year when we need more water releases for fish returns and for farmers in the valley. This has been a problem for many years as the two seem to fight over the water time and time again. Mark Twain once said, “whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting” and this seems to be a true analogy as fishermen fight farmers over water constantly!  

Trinity River Hatchery summary: This year’s final Trinity River Hatchery summary is out. Julian Week 42 ending Oct. 21, Spring Chinook Salmon, 3,038-jacks, 4,226 adults, season hatchery 7,264; Spring Coho 0; Spring Hatchery Steelhead, 9-adults; Fall Chinook Salmon Julian Week 2 ending Jan 14, 1,167-jacks 6,500-adults, season total 7,667, hatchery-1,846; Fall Coho Salmon total, 58-adults, 45-hatchery, Fall Steelhead, 38-1/2-pounders, 1,163-adults, 1,098-hatchery.

Lewiston Lake: Lewiston Lake is having a huge amount of water flowing through it right now so there is very little fishing going on right now. Fishing might start up again after the flows are reduced. You can contact the Pine Cove Marina and ask Louise or Matt (530)778-3878) for Lewiston Lake fishing; for the Upper Trinity River you can call Indian Creek Lodge, Andy or Hannah, (530)623-6294), Junction City Store, (530)623-2803. The Junction City store has a new owner and I have not contacted her yet.  

Willow Creek area: Willow Creek area has been seeing some high water during the storms so fishing has been a bit hard but the latest reports are saying that Winter Steelhead fishing has started to pick up. 

Mid-Klamath to Happy Camp: The Klamath River at Weitchpec is flowing 1,184cfs. This is a decrease of 3,326cfs. The Iron Gate/Bogus Creek area is flowing 1,015cfs a decrease of 40cfs from the last report.  The river is flowing a little lower so fishing is picking up some. For better information I suggest you call or check out their face book Marble Mountain Guest Ranch (800) 522-6284, or Scott Caldwell, SC Guide Service (530)905-0758 to get proper fishing information to fish the Upper Klamath.

Lake Conditions: It appears that the readings are being posted a day late now Whiskeytown Lake is 86%, a decrease of 9% with inflows of 432cfs and releases of 3,226cfs.  Shasta Lake is 80% of capacity, a decrease of 1% and minus 1ft with inflows of 6,724cfs and releasing 8,334cfs into Keswick. Keswick is 86% of capacity, an increase of 2% with inflows of 10,386cfs and releases of 10,187cfs into the Sacramento River. Oroville Lake is 81% of capacity, an increase of 1% and plus 4ft, with inflows of 7,052cfs with releases of 2,303cfs into the Feather River. Folsom Lake is 59% of capacity, an increase of 0% and plus 0ft, with inflows of 3,433cfs with releases of 3,538cfs into the American River. Trinity Lake storage is 2,045,685AF a decrease of 9,877AF of storage. 

Trinity Lake: The lake is 26ft below the overflow, an increase of 1ft and 84% of capacity, a decrease of 0%, with inflows of 1,518cfs and releasing 1,370cfs into Lewiston Lake with 194cfs being diverted to Whiskeytown and on to the Keswick Power Plant, and releasing 10,187cfs into the Sacramento River, a decrease of 4,684cfs. 

Trinity River flows and conditions: Lewiston Dam is 9% of capacity, a decrease 2% and water releases of 1,373cfs into the Trinity River, with water temperatures of 45.9 degrees, as of 0:00pam today January 25, 2026.  Limekiln Gulch is 5.94 at 1,406cfs. Douglas City is 5.13ft with flows of 1,619cfs with water temperatures of 44.5 degrees. Helena is 11.74ft at 2,110cfs with water temps of 44.5 degrees. South Fork of the Trinity near Hyampom is 5.18 at 1,130cfs. Willow Creek is estimated at 3,240cfs, air is 38 degrees and water at 44.7 degrees, Hoopa is 15.64ft at 4,964cfs with water at 44.9 degrees. 

Klamath River flows and conditions: Flows at Bogas Creek are 1.82ft with flows of 1,015cfs, a decrease of 40cfs. Seiad Valley is 3.40ft at 2,227cfs. Indian Creek is 4.64ft at 255cfs. Happy Camp is estimated to be 2,482cfs, Somes Bar is estimated to be 3,870cfs, and the Salmon River is 3.30ft at 1,350cfs. Orleans is 5.03ft at 5,220cfs, the Klamath River at Terwer Creek is 11.71ft flowing at 12,029cfs with water temps of 44.5 degrees. Flows for the Smith River at Jediah Smith are 6.51ft with flows of 1,394cfs. and flows at Fine Bridge are 13.13ft at N/A.

Temperatures for the Valley last week had a high of 53 and a low of 35 degrees. Rain for the week was 0.00in with a water year total to date of 22.70 and 0.00in of snow in Willow Creek. The predicted temperatures for next week are for high of 70 and a low of 31. The weather predicted for the next week is scattered clouds with sunshine and possible some rain by Wednesday.

Websites: MyOutdoorBuddy.com, Willowcreekchamber.com,
from Willow Creek, CA Phone 530-629-3554, E-mail yen2fish@yahoo.com